Court hears Ben Stokes mocked gay duo’s ‘camp behaviour’

BRISTOL – England cricketer Ben Stokes mocked a gay couple’s “camp behaviour” before losing his self-control and knocking two other men unconscious in a street fight last September, a court heard on Monday.

Stokes – on trial for alleged affray – acted in “revenge, retaliation or punishment” and was involved in a “sustained episode of significant violence”, prosecutor Nicholas Corsellis told a jury at Bristol Crown Court in south-west England.

Stokes, 27, who starred on Saturday as England beat India in a Test match at Edgbaston, is accused of knocking out 27-year-old Ryan Ali and Ryan Hale, 28, in a brawl.

All three are on trial and each denies the charge of affray.

The cricket star had earlier gestured towards gay couple Kai Barry and William O’Connor, mimicking their voices, the court heard.

The fight took place outside a Bristol nightclub after 2am on September 25 last year, the prosecutor said, just hours after Stokes played in a one-day international win over the West Indies.

Stokes, Ali and Hale were all involved in threatening and/or using unlawful violence towards each other, it is alleged.

“During the incident, Mr Stokes lost his control and started to attack with revenge, retaliation or punishment in mind. Well beyond acting in self-defence or defence of another,” Corsellis said.

“He knocked Mr Hale unconscious and then – after time to pause for thought, to calm – he did exactly the same to Mr Ali.